3 Super Easy Motivational Hacks

Creating new habits doesn't have to be hard - in fact, they can be surprisingly easy.

Developed by Dr BJ Fogg, the Fogg Method is one of many popular methods for forming a new habit and claims you can change a behaviour with just 3 simple steps.

1. Start Specific (and small)

Is your goal to be fitter? If it is then you need to change it - Fogg says:

“...you need to get specific with your goal in order to change it into a behaviour"

So let's get more specific with your goal. How about to workout at least 3 times a week? Nope still not enough - make it even smaller

Fogg suggests that the trick to this step is setting a very small and do-able goal, which can easily develop into a habit for example, making sure you walk at least 10,000 steps a day. The easier it is succeed in doing this, the higher the belief in your ability, which motivates you to achieve harder tasks

2. Make it easy

The easier you make a behaviour, the more likely you are to do it. If you've now built yourself up to a goal of say, working out at least 3 time per week, here's a few ways you can make this behaviour easier to carry out:

Pack your gym bag the night before and lay your clothes and trainers out ready

Pick a a gym close to your home or work that doesn't require effort to attend

Do a workout you enjoy

As Dr Fogg says, "it is simplicity that changes a behaviour"

3. Find a Trigger

Triggers are the things that tell people to carry out their behaviour and can be split in to two categories: Internal and External. External triggeres are things like our alarm going off in the morning, triggering not only that it's time to get up , but that it's time to get up and workout, or the act of shutting down your computer, or your boss telling you to go for lunch. Internal triggers are emotions and feelings like hunger, frustration, lethargy, rage, boredom.

As you perform actions from external triggers you’ll associate them with emotions and if repeated enough, internal triggers are formed.

So as a recap - start small, make it easy and find a trigger - the 3 ingredients to creating sustainable habits for life!

After 3 years of excess at uni took a serious toll on my waistline and wellbeing, I found that a love for strength training, HIIT and spin classes were key to keeping me healthy and happy. I'm at the forefront of finding out and creating awesome stuff about health, fitness and happiness for our Movers and when I'm not at work I love nothing more than pizza and prosecco in the sun with friends. What motivates me? Knowing that life is short...